TEXANA READS: Put a little Texas reading under the tree

The chill in the air and the surprising snow flurries that were seen in South Texas recently certainly have put everyone in a gift-giving frame of mind. With that in mind, it’s time to consider which books you may select as gifts for that Texan or Tejano/a in your life. Here are some of the books that should be in every Texan’s mind as they head out to the bookstore or are scanning the Internet for “just the right book” for . . . . (fill in the blank).

For that die-hard Republican friend of yours who yearns for the good old days of Republican politicians, perhaps President George W. Bush’s “Portraits of Courage” would be appropriate. In it President Bush turns artist and displays nearly 100 portraits of U.S. servicemen and women who were wounded during the ordeals of war. The portraits are poignant. More importantly, President Bush’s words that accompany each patriot speak wonders of character of our 43rd president. The book will move you. The portraits will make you cry.

Okay, so what about a gift for that relative of friend who is a Democrat? May I suggest Dan Rather’s “What Unites Us.” Rather, one of the most significant Texas journalists ever, has hit a chord with this philosophical and timely book. His dislike for President Donald Trump is well recognized. But, in this book, he reveals the “why” of his angst. Essentially, he reveals what it is to be patriotic in America. Rather is annoyed by the deep division that has enveloped the nation. He feels we have forgotten the basic principles of what made America great. Those were: “Our Constitution, our rule of law, our traditions, our work ethic, our empathy, our pragmatism, and our basic decency.” There is much more.

Texana Reads(Photo: Contributed photo)

A book that may please that liberal Chicano friend or relative is ““Mestizo Come Home! Making and Claiming Mexican American Identity” by Robert Con Davis-Undiano. The review of the Spanish Casta (Caste) system and the author’s call for Mexican Americans to reclaim and recognize the roots of the Mestizo make this an intriguing and academic read. It will surely help the reader understand that the Mexican American’s quest for a homeland wasn’t that far away after all. It’s here. You find it in this book.

Texana Reads(Photo: Contributed photo)

There could be no more perfect a book for the Texas NFL fan than Wade Phillips’ “Son of Bum: Lessons My Dad Taught Me about Football and Life.” Of course, dad is legendary Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips. The reader will enjoy the trip down memory lane and get a couple of valuable life lessons as well. The reader will also learn why Bum Phillips, who always dressed like a cowboy with boots and the accompanying western belt on the sidelines, never wore a hat inside the Astrodome.

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Here in South Texas, we all have that friend who is so Tejano you would swear he had fought with Juan Seguin’s men at San Jacinto. A perfect gift would be “Tejano Tiger: José de los Santos Benavides and the Texas-Mexico Borderland, 1823-1891” by Jerry Thompson. There was no one more Tejano than Santos Benavides from Laredo. He was a fierce warrior, a great leader who never lost a battle and a legislator who worked for all the people of Texas but always kept his Tejano principles in the forefront.

Texana Reads(Photo: Contributed photo)

For those who want to revisit how America used to be, “Ten Dollars to Hate” by Patricia Bernstein would be appropriate. The book is about the heyday of the Ku Klux Klan in Texas and how one district attorney was able to bring its members down. Reading this book will convince many that we can’t go back to those times. “Ten Dollars to Hate” is a history book with a powerful political and philosophical message.

Texana Reads(Photo: Contributed photo)

For that person who is just happy to live in Texas because of all the great food, “Tacos of
Texas” is what you need to order. The book is a Texas taco encyclopedia that details where you can find the best tacos in most any town in Texas from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston and Dallas and beyond. It’s a delicious book and it’s full of recipes, too.

For the South Texas high school football fan, the best buy could be “Texas High School Football Dynasties” by Rich Sherrod. While a bit outdated because it does not fully include the success of the Refugio Bobcats and Coach Phil Danaher’s Calallen Wildcats, it’s still the best historical account of Texas’ greatest high school football teams. It will also have Corpus Christi football aficionados yearning for “The Glory Years.”

After the Houston Astros won the World Series this year, some Astros fans out there may be feeling nostalgic. If that’s the case, the perfect gift would be “Houston to Cooperstown: The Houston Astros’ Biggio and Bagwell Years” by Greg Lucas. The Houston Astros went 50 years without a Hall of Fame inductee until Craig Biggio became their first, followed two years later by Jeff Bagwell. The two were arguably the two most influential and memorable players in Astros history, until this year. This is definitely a trip down memory lane. Of course, the gift could be accompanied with one of the many commemorative magazines that cover the Astros 2017 season and World Series win.

Texana Reads(Photo: Contributed photo)

A sentimental favorite at this time of year is “Pretty Paper – A Christmas Tale” by Willie Nelson with David Ritz. The story is based on a song Willie wrote in 1963 that was recorded by Roy Orbison. Willie later recorded it in 1979 and he wrote the book in 2016. The book and the song were inspired by a double-amputee street vendor Willie often saw in front of a department store in Fort Worth during the Christmas season. Read it. You’ll fall in love with it.

NOTE: This will be the last Texana Reads for the year. The column will return in January.

Texana Reads

This weekly column focuses on new and old books about Texas or related to Texas. It includes fiction and non-fiction books, reports on political and sports books as well as cultural or historical works. The common thread among these books is their relationship to Texas, specifically South Texas.
For suggestions on topics or books, email manuelf78407@yahoo.com.